Alba Ahmetaj and Edlira Mara, a lesbian couple from Albania, are determined to be recognized as joint parents of their twin daughters. However, under current Albanian law, they are unable to register both of them as parents, and they refuse to label Mara, the biological parent, as a single mother. Frustrated with the lack of equal treatment, Ahmetaj, 43, who works at the rights group ProLGBT alongside her partner of 13 years, expressed their concerns during an interview in Tirana with the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The absence of joint recognition poses significant challenges for the couple. If the legal parent were to pass away or fall seriously ill, the surviving partner would have no rights over their children. This circumstance places their two-year-old daughters at risk of being placed in foster care or entrusted to other relatives. Ahmetaj voiced her worry, stating, “If something happens to Eda (Mara), our babies will go to an orphanage or they will be under the custody of her cousins.”
Having lost their case in lower courts, Ahmetaj and Mara have now taken their fight to the Supreme Court. However, their hopes for a favorable ruling are not high, and they anticipate their final recourse will be the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg. Their determination stems from a desire to not only secure their own rights but also to pave the way for increased rights and recognition for LGBTQ+ families across Albania, a country of 2.8 million people with limited legal protections for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Albania, despite legalizing same-sex relations, grapples with homophobic attitudes deeply ingrained within its largely patriarchal society. A recent survey conducted by Euronews Albania revealed that only 12.4% of respondents would accept an LGBTQ+ person as a friend, highlighting the pervasive discrimination present. Ahmetaj, sharing her personal experience, lamented the difficulties faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Albania, recounting the loss of family, friends, and support after she and Mara publicly came out as Albania’s first openly LGBTQ+ family.
Albania, like other Balkan countries aspiring to join the European Union, must demonstrate its commitment to protecting human rights. While the country has passed laws against discrimination based on sexual orientation and banned conversion therapy in 2020, Ahmetaj emphasizes the urgent need for her daughters to access essential social and healthcare services, despite their lack of official registration. As more services move online, this becomes increasingly challenging since an identity card number, which they currently do not possess, is often required.
As Ahmetaj and Mara await the Supreme Court’s ruling, their primary concern remains the well-being and future prospects of their daughters. Their struggle serves as a poignant reminder that their children, in the eyes of the state, do not exist. The journey towards equality and recognition continues, not just for this couple but for LGBTQ+ families throughout Albania.